Robert Siegel （Host）： Thousands of people sentencedunder the tough drug laws of the 1980s and 90s are still in prison. Theyre serving mandatory minimum sentences that require them to spend decades， if not life， behind bars. Today people convicted of the same crimes serve far less time. NPRs Carrie Johnson has the story of a man named David Padilla whos serving a life sentence in one of those earlier cases. Carrie Johnson （Byline）： David Padilla lives here…

（Soundbite of metal door slamming）

Johnson： …Inside this medium-security prison in Fairmont， New Jersey. Hes lived here for 18 years now， since his arrest in November 1996. A year later a judge found him guilty of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. David and his codefendants moved drugs out of a Philadelphia hotel in a dark-colored suitcase. State police later found two handguns and a trap door in their borrowed van. David had two previous drug charges. The prosecutor in his case asked the court to weigh those priors and the judge sent him to prison for the rest of his life. Sitting on a tan-colored plastic chair in the visitors area and looking back on sentencing day， he sighs.

David Padilla： Theres no doubt in my mind that I feel I should have been punished—no doubt about it. But I dont agree that I should die in prison.

Johnson： Lisette is Davids wife of 27 years.

Lisette Padilla： I guess through the years， you know， hes been away， he has become a better person， a better man.

Johnson： They met as teenagers in Philadelphia， neighbors. Back then， David was a kind of celebrity on the block—high school prom king， a bit of a bragger. And though he was an honor student， David says college never crossed his mind. Eighteen years away， Lisette says， have changed him.

Lisette： David is an amazing man， amazing father. He works so hard， you know， and Im so proud of you know what he has accomplished all these years. I think prison was a good thing for him.

Johnson： In 1997， the judge branded him a career offender who had squandered his potential. Heres a glimpse of what he accomplished since then. Behind bars David found an unlikely passion， dentistry. He works in the prison lab， work that puts a smile on his face and a shine in his eyes.

David： I wouldve never imagined that these hands will make a denture for somebody， these hands will make a prostheses for someone. I never thought I can do that.

Johnson： David also finished an associates degree in college. Ask and hell give the credit for his close-knit family and his own turnaround to his wife.

David： I really owe it all to Lisette because shes been mommy， shes been daddy， shes been a supportive wife. Shes been my everything. She had options. I gave her options.

Lisette： The day of the sentencing， he turned around.

He tells [sic] me，‘go on with your life. And I told him，‘No. I told him， ‘No， Im here for you. You know？ Things get hard， Ive got to be there for you， you know， regardless. Were his voice in the outside world. I believe that when two people get married its forever.

Johnson： All these years， every year， Lisette says she takes her vacation around their wedding anniversary in August so she can visit him multiple times in a week. And though their children were young when he was sentenced， hes remained a big part of their lives， nudging and even nagging them about school and doing the right thing. David said he had two choices when he got sent to prison for life—continue on the road to destruction or be a model for his three kids.

David： I have to show them that I can be good， that I can do what Im telling them to do. So every time I would get grades in the semester， I would send them my grades—this is what Daddy got， these are my grades， show me your grades.

Johnson： Davids oldest daughter， Sasha， now 26.

Sasha Padilla： I remember this project on Italy. It was one of my biggest projects. And he actually went into the library， he got the encyclopedia， printed-out pages for me and while Im looking at the photocopies he has [sic] the book. So were conversing back and forth on whats more important， what should I write？ What should my thesis be？

Johnson： Sasha says shes always felt a deep attachment to her dad. David now age 47， also mentors young offenders. And just as Davids been preparing himself in prison， Lisette says she and the children have been preparing themselves too， for a day they can only hope for. During Davids long incarceration， shes squirreled away anything that could document her husbands transformation. Finally last winter， David heard about a new effort known as Clemency Project 2014， to help people serving long sentences for nonviolent drug crimes. Authorities held out the promise of pardons or early release for inmates who wouldve been sentenced to less time if they committed crimes today. And pro bono lawyers were looking for prisoners who might make model cases. Attorney Jeremy Klatell describes [sic] why he took on this case.

Jeremy Klatell： The consistency over the 18 years of Davids incarceration， with which he has dedicated to rehabilitating himself as a person， cant really be faked. Hes never had a single disciplinary infraction and we are utterly convinced that David is a different person than he was 18 years ago.

Johnson： Davids petition is now under review and though hes excited， prison has taught them to temper his emotions. He says hes in no rush. Hes been waiting for 18 years and he doesnt want to set expectations too high.

David： My hopes to be with my family once again， to reestablish my household， to be the so-called captain of the ship one more time. Thats my hope. Lisette： Hopefully we rebuild， a new beginning—be able to hold hands or take a walk in the park， walk down the beach， you know， things that we miss.

Johnson： Lisette will show him the colors she painted the living room， the hardwood floors she sanded. She wants a new kitchen， but she says shes saving that job for him.

羅伯特·西格尔（主持人）：20世纪八九十年代，受到毒品法严格制裁的数千人至今未能获释。他们强制服刑的最低期限，如果不是终身的话，也要长达数十年。如今，犯同一罪行的人的服刑时间大大地减少了。NPR的嘉莉·约翰逊了解到大卫·帕迪拉的故事，他是在那些早期案例中被判处终身监禁的人。

嘉莉·约翰逊（撰稿人）：大卫·帕迪拉住在这里……

（金属门关闭的声音）

约翰逊：自1996年11月被逮捕起，至今他在新泽西费尔蒙一所中等戒备的监狱里生活了18年。被捕后的第二年，法官发现他与他人共谋藏匿并意图贩卖可卡因。大卫和他的共犯用一个深色的手提箱把毒品从费城的一家酒店中运送出去。之后警察在他们借来的货车中发现了两把手枪和一个暗入门。大卫之前已经有两起有关毒品的控告。负责他这个案件的检察官要求法院权衡他之前所犯的罪行（作出判决），法官最后判处他终身监禁。在来访室，坐在棕褐色的塑料椅子上，回首着监狱里的日子，他叹气了。

大卫·帕迪拉：我打心眼里认为自己应该受到惩罚——毫无疑问。但是我不认为自己终生都要在监狱中度过。

约翰逊：莉泽特是大卫27年的妻子。

莉泽特·帕迪拉：我想这些年来，你懂的，他不在我们身边，变成了一个更好的人，一个更好的男人。

约翰逊：他们年少时就在费城认识，是邻居。在那时，大卫在那一带小有名气——高中舞会之王，有点爱吹牛。尽管他是优等生，大卫说他没有想过要读大学。莉泽特说，这过去的18年却改变了他。